Good Sleeping Quality Brainstorm

New Member

Hi all!!!
One thing I worry most about my hike is the sleeping quality.
During the hike (I will be doing the france one starting from early June) we probably need to share a room with lots of people.
I sleep like dead most of the time but before I do fall asleep, I'm pretty sensitive to sound.
Earplug and listening to music don't really work for me as they themselves keep me awake too.
So far I can only think of sleeping earlier than others may help...
Anyone tried any other method or any suggestion?

Active Member

Over the counter sleeping pills? I've used them when I knew I needed to get a good night's sleep. It wasn't the other people that were the problem - sometimes I had just walked so far that my legs, hips and feet would wake me up every time I moved during the night.

Veteran Member

At home my husbands snoring drives me nuts, on the Camino I sleep like the dead. The snoring and sounds didn't bother me at all, they were sort of comforting. Good long walk, no afternoon nap, food and drink do the trick. You could try earplugs.
The only thing that broke through my sleep was the damn rustling of a supermarket bag, by a guy who started at 4am. Why?

Veteran Member

I'll jump in again on this thread because I remember something I wrote couple of years ago on the same forum and I got a lot of likes as I remember but that thread might be long forgotten.
I'm always last to go to bed (and last to leave the albergue too...) and usually I don't have any problems with falling asleep. But I do help myself a little with a certain technique if there is a lot of snoring in the dorm. First I chuckle for about 15 minutes because different styles of snoring (and barfs, farts, talking in dreams etc.) just makes me laugh. Then I pick the most annoying snoring sound and try to find a rhythmic pattern in it. I Try to adapt my breathing according to it. Then I pick the second most annoying snoring and repeat the process with adding it into primary pattern. I can't remember if I added the third most annoying snoring ever. It lulls me to sleep because I think my brain understand it as a form of music or natural rhythm and with my breathing adapted to this... no problem. Try it

Crazy Enough To Try It Again!

I found that if I went a longer distance...and stopped with enough time to clean up before dinner...that I never had difficulty falling asleep after I ate dinner...however...being awoke way too early in the morning by other Pilgrims was another subject!

Veteran Member

I agree with the advice to walk a bit longer and avoid napping in the afternoon - that will help you fall asleep faster. Also, if you have any type of pre-sleep routine that you can also do on the Camino, that can get your body and mind into sleep mode. I almost always read before going to sleep, so I did that on the Camino too.

New Member

I brought my own pillow cover/slip last year. It was a bit of a 'comfort blanket' -- but hey you need something. It helped me rest at ease not thinking about who and what was alive and living in the pillow.

Veteran Member

Hi all!!!
One thing I worry most about my hike is the sleeping quality.
During the hike (I will be doing the france one starting from early June) we probably need to share a room with lots of people.
I sleep like dead most of the time but before I do fall asleep, I'm pretty sensitive to sound.
Earplug and listening to music don't really work for me as they themselves keep me awake too.
So far I can only think of sleeping earlier than others may help...
Anyone tried any other method or any suggestion?

Be aware that at most albergues the lights out time is 10 pm. If you turn the lights out before then don’t be surprised if others turn them back on. My trick is playing white noise over ear buds, holding the ear buds in with a buff.

Just so people know, about 20% of people have a contralateral stimulant effect from Valerian. California Poppy can be a good choice for those folks at home, although it’s likely not available in capsule form. As always, try at home first!

New Member

I'll jump in again on this thread because I remember something I wrote couple of years ago on the same forum and I got a lot of likes as I remember but that thread might be long forgotten.
I'm always last to go to bed (and last to leave the albergue too...) and usually I don't have any problems with falling asleep. But I do help myself a little with a certain technique if there is a lot of snoring in the dorm. First I chuckle for about 15 minutes because different styles of snoring (and barfs, farts, talking in dreams etc.) just makes me laugh. Then I pick the most annoying snoring sound and try to find a rhythmic pattern in it. I Try to adapt my breathing according to it. Then I pick the second most annoying snoring and repeat the process with adding it into primary pattern. I can't remember if I added the third most annoying snoring ever. It lulls me to sleep because I think my brain understand it as a form of music or natural rhythm and with my breathing adapted to this... no problem. Try it

Pam

I'll jump in again on this thread because I remember something I wrote couple of years ago on the same forum and I got a lot of likes as I remember but that thread might be long forgotten.
I'm always last to go to bed (and last to leave the albergue too...) and usually I don't have any problems with falling asleep. But I do help myself a little with a certain technique if there is a lot of snoring in the dorm. First I chuckle for about 15 minutes because different styles of snoring (and barfs, farts, talking in dreams etc.) just makes me laugh. Then I pick the most annoying snoring sound and try to find a rhythmic pattern in it. I Try to adapt my breathing according to it. Then I pick the second most annoying snoring and repeat the process with adding it into primary pattern. I can't remember if I added the third most annoying snoring ever. It lulls me to sleep because I think my brain understand it as a form of music or natural rhythm and with my breathing adapted to this... no problem. Try it

I hope I have done the quote thing correctly.
I need to make copies of this and give to anyone who shares an albergue with me as according to my nearest and dearest I go for gold in the snoring department.

Pam

Veteran Member

I hope I have done the quote thing correctly.
I need to make copies of this and give to anyone who shares an albergue with me as according to my nearest and dearest I go for gold in the snoring department.

New Member

I hope I have done the quote thing correctly.
I need to make copies of this and give to anyone who shares an albergue with me as according to my nearest and dearest I go for gold in the snoring department.